[6-text p 258]
By verray fors of algason on a night
Maugre þe philistiens of þat cite
The gates of þe toun he haþ vp plight/
And on his bak caried hem haþ he /
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heigh vpon an hil wher men might hem se /
O noble almighty Sampson leef and deere
haddest þou nought to wommen told þy secre
In al þe world ne hadde be þy peere
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This sampson neyther siser dronk ne wyn /
Ne on his heed com rasour noon ne schere
By precept of þe messager diuyn
For alle his strengþes in his heres were
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And fully twenty wynter ȝer by ȝere/
he hadde of Ierusalem þe gouernaunce
But soone he schal wepe many a teere
For wymmen schuln him bringe to meschaunce
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Vn-to his lemman Dalida he tolde
That in his heres al his strengþe lay
And falsly to his foomen sche him solde
And slepyng in hir barm vpon a day
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Sche made to clippe or schere his heres away
And made his foomen al his craft espien
And whan þay fond him in þis array
Thay bound him fast and put out boþe his yen
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But er his heer clipped was or I-schaue
Ther was no bond wiþ which men might him bynde
But now is he in prisoun in a caue
Ther as þay made him at þe querne grynde
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O noble Sampson strengest of al man kynde
O whilom iugge in glory and in richesse /
Now maystow wepe wiþ þine eyȝen blynde
Sith þou fro wele art falle to wrecchednesse
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